High School Physics : High School Physics

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for High School Physics

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Properties Of Waves

A student attaches one end of a Slinky to the top of a table. She holds the other end in her hand, stretches it to a length , and then moves it back and forth to send a wave down the Slinky. If she next moves her hand faster while keeping the length of the Slinky the same, how does the wavelength down the slinky change?

Possible Answers:

It stays the same

It increases

It decreases

Correct answer:

It decreases

Explanation:

The speed of the wave along the Slinky depends on the mass of the Slinky itself and the tension caused by stretching it. Since both of these things have not changed, the wave speed remains constant.

The wave speed is equal to the wavelength multiplied by the frequency.

Since she is moving her hand faster, the frequency has increased. Since the velocity has not changed, an increase in the frequency would decrease the wavelength

Example Question #4 : Properties Of Waves

Resonance in a system, such as a string fixed at both ends, occurs when

Possible Answers:

Its frequency is less than the frequency of the external source

Its frequency is the same as the frequency of the external source

Its frequency is greater than the frequency of the external source

It is oscillating in simple harmonic motion

Correct answer:

Its frequency is the same as the frequency of the external source

Explanation:

The frequency at which standing waves are produced is known as the resonant frequencies. When two objects are brought near each other, and they both make standing waves at the same frequency, there is resonance in the system. For example, if you have two tuning forks of the same note, you can tap one and bring it close (but not touch) the other. Then if you silence the first tuning fork and listen, you will hear the second fork ringing as well because it vibrates at the same frequency.

Example Question #1 : Interference And Superposition

The siren of a police car at rest emits a frequency of about .  What frequency will you hear if you are at rest and the police car moves  away from you?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This is an example of the doppler effect.  In this case the source is moving away from a stationary observer.  Therefore the corresponding equation is

 

 

 

 

 

Example Question #2 : Interference And Superposition

Two waves, one with an amplitude of  and the other of  are superimposed with destructive interference. What is the resultant amplitude?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

When two waves are superimposed, the interference can be either constructive or destructive. In this case the interference is destructive, which means our resultant amplitude will be the difference of the two given amplitudes.

 

That means our new amplitude will be .

 

 

Example Question #3 : Interference And Superposition

A piano tuner hears one beat every  when trying to adjust two strings, one of which is sounding .  How far off in frequency is the other string?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We can calculate the frequency of the beat using the equation

 

 

 

This is the beat frequency which means that the other string is off by   either higher or lower.

 

Example Question #4 : Interference And Superposition

Resonance in a system, such as a string fixed on both ends, occurs when

Possible Answers:

It is oscillating in simple harmonic motion

Its frequency is smaller than the frequency of an external source

Its frequency is the same as the frequency of an external source

Its frequency is greater than the frequency of an external source

Correct answer:

Its frequency is the same as the frequency of an external source

Explanation:

When we think about a violin or a guitar string that is being plucked, there are a variety of waves of different frequencies that will travel along the string and be reflected back at the ends.  Most interfere with each other and disappear.  The few that don’t will remain.  These are called the resonant frequencies. These frequencies create standing waves on the string.  If the frequencies do not align, they will interfere and die out.  However, if the frequency is the same standing waves occur and resonance occurs.  We can also see this in a tuning fork.  If we have two tuning forks of the same frequency and we strike the first and bring it near the second, it will begin to resonant as well as the air molecules strike the second fork causing it to vibrate.  If we do the same test with two different frequency forks, nothing will occur.

Example Question #1 : Interference And Superposition

Two pure tones are sounded together and a particular beat frequency is heard.  What happens to the beat frequency if the frequency on one of the tones is increased?

Possible Answers:

It increase

It decreases

It could either increase or decrease

It does not change

Correct answer:

It could either increase or decrease

Explanation:

Beats occur due to the interference of two different frequencies that are occurring at the same time.  These beats are repetitive patterns of loud and soft interference that happen at regular intervals.  To calculate the beat frequency, simply take the difference of the two frequencies.  This means that if the higher frequency is increased, the beat frequency is increasing and is getting farther away from the lower frequency.  If the lower frequency is increased, the beat frequency is decreasing as it is getting closer to the higher frequency and therefore reducing the difference between the two.

Example Question #2 : Interference And Superposition

An ambulance turns on its siren as it is driving away from you. What happens to the sound pitch?

Possible Answers:

The pitch will stay the same.

You will be unable to hear the pitch.

The pitch will sound higher.

There is insufficient information to tell.

The pitch will sound lower.

Correct answer:

The pitch will sound lower.

Explanation:

The Doppler effect states that the frequency of sound increases as it approaches you and decreases as it goes away from you.

 

Since it is going away from you, the pitch of the sound will appear to get lower.

 

Example Question #981 : High School Physics

Two piano strings are supposed to be vibrating at , but a piano tuner hears 4 beats every 3 seconds when they are played together.  If one of the piano strings is vibrating correctly at , what must be the frequency of the other?

Possible Answers:

 or 

 only

 only

 or 

 only

Correct answer:

 or 

Explanation:

With the information provided we can determine the frequency of the beats.

 

 

This means that the string of the piano could either be this much higher or lower than the  string.

 

 

 

 

Example Question #8 : Interference And Superposition

Two waves, each with an amplitude of  are superimposed with constructive interference such that they are in phase. What is the resultant amplitude? 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

When two waves are superimposed, the interference can either be constructive or destructive. In this case, the interference is constructive and the waves are in phase, which means we add the amplitudes together.

 

Since each wave has an amplitude of , our new amplitude will be .

 

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors